Herman Mildew may have been the most difficult infamous editor alive. The problem is, Mildew is dead. Now 83 young adult authors must provide their brief first-person alibis in the new anthology Who Done It? edited by Jon Scieszka (the Spaceheadz series). The stellar list of suspects (aka contributors) includes John Green, Maureen Johnson, Libba Bray, David Levithan, Rebecca Stead, Mo Willems and, of course, Lemony Snicket, as well as many others. All of the authors had motives. Some had the means (everything from chains to rat poison to frozen legs of lamb). A few, like Dave Eggers and Aimee Freedman, admit to thwarted plots. With a lively blend of self-incrimination and finger-pointing, Who Done It? will keep readers guessing to the end.
While such a premise, and lengthy list of contributors, runs the risk of redundancy, the unusual voices, humor and varied writing styles will keep readers engaged and entertained. Proceeds from the sales of Who Done It? benefit 826NYC. --Kyla Paterno, trade book buyer and blogger, Garfield Book Company at PLU